Isaacs syndrome in assocIation with

thymoma

Carla Giovanna Monteiro Silva1, Carolina Cunha Correia1, Pedro Augusto Sampaio Rocha-Filho1,2*                                                   

AbstrAct

Introduction:  Isaacs syndrome  is a clinical condition in which the  main finding  is generalized  continuous involuntary movements (myokymia and neuromyotonia). Case report: we report the case of a female patient who presented myokymia in the upper and lower limbs and trunk, which  started 15 days before admission. Using electromyography,  this was confirmed as rhythmic spontaneous discharges of motor unit potentials, individually or in groups, with variable frequencies. The patient also reported having generalized muscle loss, excessive sweating and weight loss. She had a previous history of thymoma, with thymectomy, along with repeated respiratory infections and tuberculosis. She did not respond to intravenous immunoglobulin therapy and, despite partial clinical improvement through using carbamazepine,  she died due to sepsis a few months  after  the diagnosis. Conclusion In patients with Isaacs syndrome, an underlying cause should always be sought. Thymoma is one of the most important of these causes.

Key words: Electromyography. Isaacs Syndrome. Paraneoplasic syndromes. Thymoma. Tuberculosis.

Síndrome de Isaacs associada a timoma